Broadband technologies jumpstart rural economies

— Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined Thursday to introduce a rural broadband bill, the ACCESS Rural America Act, aimed at helping small telecom companies escape certain Securities and Exchange Commission filing requirements. The legislation would raise the number of investors that prompts some of these obligations. “Unfortunately, rural telecom companies are getting hit with disclosure costs that were never intended for them,” said Baldwin.